The Chicken line is only for downwind sailing on my boat.
I'll say that's not true. In racing we tend to only go up and downwind. For recreational sailing, a smoking reach is great fun. You'll be on the wire, and having a chicken line is a good idea for those times the boat takes a wave and slows or takes a dive.
PLEASE LISTEN TO MARY!
The chicken line is for the crew's aft hand: also it then allows movement fore and aft to trim the boat so you don't stuff or pitchpole the dumb thing and then go flying forward still on the wire. Also it does not take much hand strength to hold on to the chicken line while the boat is slowing down. Even a thin line (1/4 inch or 8 mm) is ok.
IMHO There is NO reason for a crew to be tied to the boat with a carabiner, or a dogbone to be tied to the chicken line. I think that would be like totally coo-coo!
Now the Worrell 1000- at night- in a half gale is different!
for the distance races we put on the loop/ball system that jake mentioned. It really straps you in well to the boat, so well in fact that if both crew are chickened in the rear, it will save a pitchpole from even happening.
Plus, if you're a crew and you're washed out by a wave, it can keep you from knocking the skipper off the back of the boat.
The loop/ball system is very easy to get in and out of and can be disengaged while under pressure. In fact, if you're not in the trap ring, then the ball isn't going to retain you during a capsize.
Now I'm confused.....
Does the chicken line (hate that name btw -would prefer flying crew preventer) string through the rear beam in that drawing Dan did? If so, doesn't it interfer with the helmsman when it crosses him/her going to the forward trap dogbone? Seems like it would be another thing to watch out for when the helmsman slips off the tramp to go out on the wire. I like the idea of having a line to hang on to for the forward crew to steady themselves with in rough seas or in the event of a .........unplanned deceleration, but not at the expense of yet another thing to get wrapped up in or untangle or trip over.
If it's going through the forward beam I can't see how it would help on the unplanned deceleration situation since the line would, more than likely, be running forward of the crew on the wire.
I know I'm missing something but I just can't picture this... 
One last thing..... how do you think it would be if when the family is on the boat (ie not racing) using those foam noodles with a slit all the way length-wise put over the shrouds to protect body parts in the event of a flight forward? I'm even thinking of putting them on the trap wires. It would look stupid but so does wire marks on skin.
Greg
Greg,
The hook in question remains retracted and just barely sticking out of the rear beam. When trapezing with the spinnaker up, the crew first goes out on the wire, then reaches down on the rear beam for the hook, and attaches it to their trapeze dogbone. When getting ready to jibe, they unhook the hook first, allowing it to retract again, before coming in off the wire for the jibe.
Here you can see Trey hooked into the ball and loop system. He must have had some issues getting washed off the back because he's hooked in from the front.
http:/
I know this is heresy, but when things get really bad, I slow down, or go to the beach.
well, it doesn't take that big of a wave for you to get your feet washed out from under you. Chicken Lines aren't used only for "nuclear" conditions.
Like I pointed out in another thread, those pictures didn't do the swells justice that day. Often, we were punching a wave and the water would try to wash me off the back. Aren't those some nice Barz goggles I have? (Thanks Murray's!)
The chicken line system I have gone to on my boat is different from the one Jake posted a pic of. Our new way is much simpler and easier to rig. Thanks to Charlie and Harry from Key Sailing for the setup idea.
The line is tied to a footstrap at the very rear of the hull. It runs forward all the way to the front bridle wires, and then goes through a shackle that I have put in place of a pin where the bridle connects to the hull. It goes through that shackle, and turns back toward the tramp. About halfway between the bridle and the tramp, I have directly connected the line to some 1/4" bungee, which then is tied to a tramp lacing about halfway back the tramp. There is a rope-lock (like used on a trapeze system, the little black "8" looking piece), that is on the line between that shackle and the bungee to allow adjustment for how far out you want the chicken line to go. Works like a charm! If you look on the starboard hull in the attached pic, you can see the where the line runs through the shackle and back to the tramp (including were the bungee connects in).